India, Japan to sew up economic accord, n-supply pact not ready
By IANSFriday, October 22, 2010
NEW DELHI - India and Japan will announce the conclusion of a landmark Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement during Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs visit to Tokyo Monday, but a nuclear supplies pact will have to wait for some time.
“The prime ministers are expected to announce the conclusion of negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement or CEPA,” Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao told reporters here Friday ahead of Manmohan Singhs three-day visit to Japan that begins Sunday.
“The agreement signifies the economic alignment of two of the largest economies in Asia and would lead to a marked increase in our business and economic ties,” Rao said, describing the CEPA as “a win-win proposition” for both countries.
Manmohan Singh will hold wide-ranging talks with his Japanese counterpart Naoto Kan in Tokyo Monday.
They will also “discuss Japanese involvement in major infrastructure development projects in India, such as the Dedicated Freight Corridor and Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor,” Rao said.
Rao, however, made it clear that negotiations for a civil nuclear cooperation accord are continuing and it will not be concluded by the time Manmohan Singh is in Tokyo.
“We will not be signing an agreement because we need to have a few more rounds of discussions,” she said.
